Reclaiming the Underground

The scope of the project is to redo a staircase that leads to the basement and also make the unfinished basement an additional living floor to the house. The project had few challenges, but the main challenge was the existing staircase that is very narrow, "too tight" and not "up the code". The staircase is also the "back" entry to the house (when entering the house from the driveway), and is the "main" entrance used by the family. The staircase landing functions as a vestibule as well. We optimized the use of the space creating a "light box" to bring in additional light in the basement on one side, and also we use it on the other side as a storage area for the "vestibule".